Ch. 54 - Late Night Talk

"Fuck! They have my information" I said as I remembered the details I filled in on the 'Pokemon Union' website when I was registering as an active Player to receive the monthly allowance.

"They have all my data in their database, but they still haven't found me. That would mean that among all the people named Dipper, they don't have any way of identifying me."

"But if they investigate every Dipper who is an active Player and has selected 'Kanto' as the starting region then it is only a matter of time before they find me."

"I need to hurry and bring Porygon into the Real World as soon as possible."

After checking for some more interesting articles but finding nothing, I closed the Pokemon Forum website.

After closing the website, I checked the messages that I received from Lily.

Reading through all the messages that Lily sent, I don't know why but I felt happy that she cared about me.

Before calling Lily, I decided to head to the bathroom and take a bath since I knew that Lily and I were probably going to talk for a long time. And for some reason, I had sweated a lot today, and because of that, I felt sticky and dirty.

Hopping into the shower, I took a long and refreshing bath, scraping off all the dirt.

After drying myself, I wore only my underwear since I'd be going straight to bed after talking to Lily.

Laying on the bed, I picked up my phone and dialed Lily's contact number.

On the second ring, the call was picked up, and a voice filled with excitement came from the other side.

[Lily : Dipper!!!]

[Me : Yes, Lily]

[Lily : Congrats on becoming the first player with four gym badges]

[Me : Thanks]

[Lily : Did you read the messages I sent you?]

[Me : Y...]

[Lily : Of course you did, that's why you called, right?]

[Me : Yes, I saw your messages]

[Me : And Yes, I remember my promise]

[Me : Though there are some limitations on 'World Portal' and how many Pokemon I can bring to our world]

[Me : But, I'll get you a Pokemon along with a Pokemon for myself.]

[Me : The Pokemon I'll bring will be enough to protect us]

[Me : So, You don't have to worry about anything]

[Lily : That's good then]

[Lily : So which Pokemon will you bring?]

[Me : Well, I have already decided which Pokemon I'll bring.]

[Me : It's a Pokemon called Porygon]

[Me : But I am still not sure about your Pokemon.]

[Me : There are just too many cute Pokemon and too many choices]

[Lily : Ohh]

[Me : You know what, why don't you help me decide.]

[Me : Since it is your Pokemon, I think you should choose the one you want.]

[Lily : Okay, what are the options?]

[Me : Listen carefully]

[Me : There is an electric rat Pokemon, cute, iconic but can electrocute others if touched without permission.]

[Me : There is a fox-like Pokemon that can evolve into one of many forms depending upon the conditions.]

[Me : There is a sentient gas Pokemon which is actually the ghost of a dead Pokemon.]

[Me : There is a cherry-like Pokemon that uses its leaf on its head to fly and float around.]

[Me : There is a fire dog Pokemon that is extremely loyal to their master. brave and trustworthy.]

[Me : There is a cat Pokemon that can somehow generate money when fighting against other Pokemon.]

[Me : There is a round Pokemon that likes to play and dance in the light of a full moon.]

[Me : There is another round Pokemon that likes to sing but its singing makes others fall asleep.]

[Me : These are some of the Pokemon that I can currently get, that I think are cute and easy to hide.]

[Me : So, what do you think? which one do you like?]

[Lily : Ummm]

[Lily : It's hard to decide]

[Me : You don't have to answer that now, you can take your time and think about it.]

[Lily : Hmm all the Pokemon that you describe seem amazing.]

[Lily : Well, Except for that ghost gas Pokemon]

[Lily : Geez, just thinking about a Pokemon ghost makes me shiver]

[Me : Hahaha]

[Me : You know, even though it is a ghost, but I think it is cute]

[Me : You'll also like it too if you see it]

[Lily : No thanks]

[Me : Hehehe, not even a second of hesitation]

[Me : Lily, Pokemon are magical creatures, our understanding doesn't apply to them.]

[Me : Just like other types, there also exists Ghost-Type.]

[Me : And just because we fear ghosts doesn't mean we have to fear Ghost-Type Pokemon as well.]

[Lily : If you say so...]

[Lily : By the way Dipper, why does it sound like you know these Pokemon so well?]

[Lily: It's like you have seen them in real life because I know that Pokemon in Pokemon World don't have any emotion or consciousness. They act like machines in the Pokemon World so how do you know so much about these Pokemon.]

[Lily : Suspecious]

[Me: Hehehe, you are thinking too much]

[Lily: Are you a Regressor or a Time Traveler maybe?]

[Me : What?]

[Lily: You know, Like a Regressor who somehow returns back in time just like in those Webtoons.]

[Lily : Now that I think about it, it kinda makes sense how you become so strong in the Pokemon World and how you seem to know so much about Pokemon and the Pokemon World.]

[Me: Lily, I think you need to stop reading those webtoons and webnovels.]

[Me: Those are just fantasy and are not real.]

[Lily : If you look around, a normal world that somehow gets connected to another world. Seems like a generic plot to me.]

[Lily : Is it possible that our world is not real and that we are just characters of a story.]

[Me : What are you on about? If we are in a story then how are we able to think that we are in a story]

[Lily : You don't know. Becoming aware or talking to the readers is a pretty common thing in webnovels. It is called 'Breaking The Fourth Wall']

[Lily : Oh My God!!! Are we really living inside a story.]

[Me : Calm down Lily, we are not inside a story.]

[Lily : And How do you know that?]

[Me : ...]

[Lily : We could be living inside a story and our fate is in the hands of the author.]

[Me : Okay if you think that this is not a real world and just a story then there has to be a way to make sure that we are inside a story.]

[Lily : Let me think]

[Lily : ...]

[Lily : Yes, I got it]

[Me : What?]

[Lily : Mobs]

[Me : Mobs?]

[Lily : Yes, Mobs are not part of the story. A story usually focuses on the main characters and side characters while all the other characters who do not have a role in the story are called Mobs or Extras.]

[Lily : From my knowledge, Mobs are faceless, nameless entities that only come into existence when needed for a temporary character who wouldn't appear again in the story. When a mob temporarily comes into existence it becomes an extra.]

[Lily : If we are living in the story, we have a face and a name that means we are either the main character or side character.]

[Lily : Personally I think you are the main character and I am the heroin.]

[Me : You are what?]

[Lily : Nothing, Anyway, if we are living in a story then besides us, everyone else is a mob.]

[Lily : So, all we need to do is just think of other people who are not a significant part of our life.]

[Me : Like old classmates or distant relatives.]

[Lily : Yes exactly]

[Me : But would those characters come into existence if we think about them.]

[Lily : No, I don't think so Because introducing too many characters makes a story complicated and it also becomes harder for the author to consider all the characters in the storyline]

[Lily : So now just trust me and think of anyone.]

Going with the flow, I thought of the kids in the orphanage.

'Sophia, Liam, Olivia, Noah, Emma, Jackson, Ava, Lucas, Isabella, Aiden, Mia, Ethan, Harper, Mason, Evelyn, Elijah, Amelia, Oliver, Charlotte, Logan'

"I seem to be able to remember them just fine"

"*Sigh* What was I even expecting, that we are just characters of a story."

[Me : Lily...]

[Me : It seems your theory about us living inside a story is a bust as I can perfectly remember the names of all the kids of the orphonage]

[Lily : ...]

[Me : Lily?]

[Me : Hello???]

[Lily : Ah yes, I can remember them too. It seems I was overthinking.]

[Lily : Hehehe, Maybe because I read Webnovel till late last night, my brain must be exhausted and started making things.]

[Me : Or is it because you think of me as some Main Character and you as my heroin.]

[Lily : *Cough**Cough* What are you saying? you baka]

[Me : Hehehe]

[Lily : Anyway, I'll think about the Pokemon and tell you my decision]

[Me : Okay]

[Lily : Okay, Bye]

[Me : Bye]

[Lily : Good Night]

[Me : You too, Good Night]

[Lily : ...]

[Me : ...]

[Lily : ...]

[Me : ...]

[Lily : Why are you not hanging up?]

[Me : You hang up]

[Lily : Why? can't you hang up?]

[Me : Of course I can but I don't want to]

[Lily : Why?]

[Me : So that I could hear your breath one more time]

[Lily : Baka, what are you saying? Creepy]

[Me : Hahaha]

[Me : And why are you not hanging up?]

[Lily : I just didn't want to spend my energy on pressing the button]

[Lily : BUT now after hearing your thoughts, I will]

[Me : Hahahaha]

[Me : Okay, Bye Bye]

[Lily : Hmmm, Bye]

And she hung up

"Hahaha, she is so fun to tease" I said as I put my phone away and closed my eyes to sleep.

<Lily's POV>

"BAKA" I said after hanging up the call.

"'So that I could hear your breath one more time', geez how can someone be creepy and romantic at the same time" I said as I buried my red face into the pillow.

"I think I should go to sleep early. I can't believe I thought we lived in a story."

"Dipper must be thinking that I am some kind of a loser otaku or something."

"Lily you idiot" I said as I turned off the lights and went to sleep.

<3 Minutes Ago>

[Dipper : But would those characters come into existence if we think about them.]

[Me : No, I don't think so Because introducing too many characters makes a story complicated and it also becomes harder for the author to consider all the characters in the storyline]

[Me : So now just trust me and think of anyone.]

"Who should I think about?"

"Yes, my college mates"

'...'

"Huh?"

'...'

"Why can't I remember anyone from my college?"

"What is happening?"

I clutch my head, "Do we really live inside a story?"

"No, this is not real, this can't be happening" I said as a tear fell from my eye.

Before I could process the fact that we live inside a story, a blinding golden light filled the room.

The light disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Huh?"

'...'

"Yes, that's right, those are the names of my college mates"

"But just to be sure, I should also try to remember the names of my old schoolmates."

'...'

"Yup, that's right, that's the names of my old schoolmates."

[Dipper : Lily?]

[Dipper : Hello???]

[Me : Ah yes, I can remember them too. It seems I was overthinking.]

<3rd Person POV>

It seems that the golden light not only removed Lily's memory of breaking down but also brainwashed her into believing that she remembers the names of her college mates and old schoolmates even though her brain doesn't have the information.

What is that Golden light?

Why did it brainwash Lily?

Is it Good or Evil?

Only time will tell...

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